You’ll never buy chicken stock again after you see how inexpensive and easy it is to make your own. Plus, it has no additives or preservatives – just good, whole food – and you can make it to suit your tastes and dietary needs – low fat, low salt, etc.

Using a whole chicken allows you to remove and save the breasts, legs, and wings for another day while using the carcass and organs for your stock. If you’ve never cut up your own chicken  before, don’t panic. It’s really easy and if you need it, you can check out Youtube for a video. Heck, I’m a vegetarian and I can do it, though you’ll notice I wear gloves and then disinfect the entire kitchen afterward. An 8-cup measuring cup comes in very handy both in measuring and pouring. Quart jars are perfect for freezing and refrigerating the chicken stock.

You’ll need a good meat cleaver to get through the chicken’s bones to remove the legs and wings and a nice butcher knife to shave the breast from the bone (though I often use the meat cleaver – it’s not as pretty, but it’s fast and easy). Once you have the breast, legs, and wings removed, the rest of the chicken goes right into the Instant Pot. There’s no need to remove the skin, but if there’s a lot of extra fat, it’s easier to trim it away now. We’ll be refrigerating the stock and removing the fat from the top later on.

Instant Pot Pressure Cooker Homemade Chicken Stock Recipe
A super-easy and fast chicken stock - just one hour from start to finish but it tastes like you simmered it for hours! You can add additional vegetables if desired, but be careful not to add more celery. It can quickly overpower the chicken stock.
Author:
Type: Basic
Yield: 8-9 cups
Prep Time: 
Cooking Time: 
Total Time: 
Ingredients
  • 1 5 lb chicken (see note below)
  • 1 yellow onion, peeled & quartered
  • 2 cups chopped carrots (about 4 large)
  • 2 celery stalks, washed and chopped, leaves ok
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 handful fresh parsley
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • ½ tsp salt (optional)
  • 8 cups water
Instructions
  1. Remove the chicken breasts, wings, and legs - set aside for another meal.
  2. Put the carcass and organs in the Instant Pot (or similar electric pressure cooker).
  3. Add the rest of the ingredients and make sure the ingredients are submerged.
  4. Press Soup and set the timer for 1 hour (or select high pressure for 1 hour).
  5. Allow the pressure to release naturally
  6. Remove the carcass.
  7. Harvest any meat from the bones - I feed it to my dogs as a treat
  8. Strain the broth through a fine strainer (or cheesecloth) to remove the solids.
  9. Refrigerate for an hour to allow the fat to harden. Remove carefully and discard.
  10. Store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.